Results and Significance of the Galveston Movement

This article summarizes the work of David M. Bressler on the Galveston Bureau of Jewish Immigration, including data on the numbers of immigrants directed away from congested ports and towards the Midwest, their final destinations, and their professions and average wages. The main challenges experienced by the movement included the recalcitrance of the Galveston government immigration offices about accepting new immigrants and the inability to ease conditions and make the long steamship voyage less burdensome. Finally, the government is urged to take a more constructive approach in the facilitation of immigration to under populated, underserved areas, as opposed to simply closing American borders to immigrants. Bulletin of the National Conference of Jewish Charities, 5:1